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The Atlanta Braves are likely looking for one more piece of the puzzle heading towards opening day. So far, Atlanta has made several under-the-radar moves to give its roster a boost. Robert Suarez will bolster the bullpen, while Mike Yastrzemski, Ha-Seong Kim, and Jorge Mateo help round out the club’s lineup.

Despite the series of solid moves, the Braves are still being linked with several starting pitchers. At the moment, Atlanta’s rotation consists of Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, and Hurston Waldrep. This leaves one spot remaining for GM Alex Anthopoulos to fill. The exec could go in-house to round out his rotation, but targeting a free agent seems more likely.

Veterans Lucas Giolito and Chris Bassitt have both been named as potential new acquisitions for the club. Either pitcher would seemingly be a quality addition to the Braves. Nevertheless, Bleacher Report has named Nick Martinez as the ideal fit for Atlanta.

The 35-year-old righty excelled over the last four years with the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds after spending several seasons in Japan. Martinez’s last two campaigns with the Reds, however, particularly proved that he is one of the better swingmen in baseball. The versatile starter/reliever posted a combined 6.3 WAR during his two years in Cincinnati.

Nick Martinez Could be a Useful Insurance Policy for the 2026 Atlanta Braves

GettyNick Martinez is widely viewed as one of the better swingmen in baseball.

As Bleacher Report points out, the Braves are expected to have a solid rotation in 2026. After all, only three MLB teams recorded more total quality starts last season than Atlanta. Sale, despite now being 36, remains one of the better left-handed pitchers in baseball. Schwellenbach and Strider have also proven to be quality starters behind the former Cy Young winner.

Waldrep has shown glimpses of what he can bring to the table as well. The former first-round pick posted a 6-1 record to go along with a 2.88 ERA and 1.189 WHIP in 10 games with the club in 2025. Braves manager Walt Weiss is expecting to rely more heavily on the former number two prospect even more this coming season.

While the situation seems positive for the Braves, there are some concerns regarding their rotation. Sale and Strider have both struggled with injuries in recent years. In fact, they both only managed to throw 125 innings last year. This is where Martinez’s value would come in handy in Atlanta.

Versatility is key for Martinez

If Sale and Strider continue to deal with issues, Martinez could slot in to cover for the star duo. He could also help out in the rotation if Waldrep endures a sophomore slump. However, if the veteran duo stays healthy and the former prospect flourishes, the former Red would be useful out of the bullpen.

Martinez previously split his time between being a starter and a reliever over the last two seasons. Although he can be used either way and performs well in both roles, his statistics showed that he was best as a reliever. In fact, his ERA in 2025 was two points lower coming out of the bullpen compared to being a starter.

The Braves, or any other team for that matter, will likely be able to sign Martinez for less money than he received in 2025. The versatile pitcher previously earned $21 million as a Red last year.

Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore

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